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What to Do If Your Microsoft Account Sees an Odd Sign-in Activity

Microsoft watches out for you as a user and your account, just like other large organizations. It is possible for someone with malicious intent to try to access your account and use it without your consent.

Microsoft flags a suspicious log-in attempt when it finds one. Microsoft automatically notifies you via SMS and email of the attempted login.

This adds an additional degree of defense. They will not be able to take complete control of your Microsoft account security, even if they know the proper password.

Explanations for the strange sign-in activity email you received:

There are multiple reasons why Microsoft sends you emails about your sign-in activity.

Even if you might be the one to trigger these emails, it is still necessary to check them in case there is a genuine threat.

The following are a few of the most frequent causes of an odd sign-in activity email:

  • logging in with a new device that has never been used to access your account previously.
  • are traveling and logging in from a different place than home.
  • logging in from outside of the nation.
  • using an unidentified IP address to log in.
  • granting access to your Microsoft account security to a program.

How your account is safeguarded by Microsoft

Microsoft takes two security measures to protect your Microsoft account security from hackers, account thieves, online scammers, and people with other malicious intent.

Code of Microsoft account security

A notification regarding suspicious sign-in behavior will appear if you attempt to access your account from an unusual device or location.

Microsoft account security

This is Microsoft’s method of keeping scammers and hackers out of your account, even if they manage to crack the password.

There will be a Microsoft account security code that you must enter. You have the option to have the code sent to a different contact method that has been added to your account. You may use a phone number or an additional backup email account, for instance.

Alerts

You will receive notifications on all of your other contact methods whenever suspect logins are found. This indicates that you are receiving alerts from Microsoft through text and email.

When you receive emails from Microsoft regarding unauthorized login attempts, always make sure to look up the sender. Online con artists send you phony emails in an attempt to access your Microsoft account through a practice known as “phishing.”

Microsoft account security

[email protected] is the only legitimate Microsoft account team email address via which Microsoft will get in touch with you.

How to get into your Microsoft Account when using a new device or location

In an attempt to successfully thwart all assaults, Microsoft may flag legitimate login attempts, including ones that come from you.

If you are using a new device or are signing in from a different location, there is a good chance that your sign-in attempts will be banned.

This protects your account even in the event that someone else has access to your legitimate login credentials. They have the ability to log into your account, but they cannot advance unless they also have access to your other communication methods.

How to get into your Microsoft account when using a different device or place

Verify your identification using the Microsoft account security code.

Select where you wish to receive a Microsoft account security code to unlock your account if you tried to log in but were blocked. This can be an additional phone number or email address that you have contributed to your account in the past.

Obtain Entry to a Reliable Device

You must have access to a reliable device if you are unable to get a Microsoft account security code. Any phone, tablet, laptop, or computer that you regularly use to access your account is considered a trusted device. It is necessary to manually add trusted devices using the Microsoft account security settings page.

To access your account, use a reliable device. Try getting in touch with someone you trust who has access to a trusted device if you left it at home while on vacation. After verifying it, they can provide you the Microsoft account security code, which you can use to get into your account.

If you are not sure why you received a questionable login warning,

Getting notified

You need to safeguard your account right now if you do not remember doing anything different the last time you logged in.

To verify that your account is secure, take the following actions:

1. Go to the page with security basics.

Microsoft account security

2. Press the button labeled “Review activity.”

Microsoft account security

3. A prompt to log into your Microsoft account will appear.

4. A Microsoft account security code will be required to authenticate your identity. Select the method by which you wish to get the code. This can be a text message or an email.

Microsoft account security

5. Look for the code in your text messages or email inbox. Verify that the sender is authorized. Click on links only from the Microsoft Account team, [email protected] is their email address.

Microsoft account security

6. To complete the identity verification process, enter the Microsoft account security code.

Microsoft account security

7. Take a look at your account’s recent sign-in list. Along with the IP address, web browser, device kind, and approximate location, you can observe the time of the login.

Microsoft account security

8. By opening it and selecting the Secure your account link, you can report anything that looks suspect.

Safeguarding your Account

Upon discovering an unauthorized login, your first course of action should be to strengthen Microsoft account security. Changing your password and making it more difficult to guess or steal is the best approach to achieve this.

Use these procedures to modify the password for your Microsoft account:

1. Go to the page with security basics.

Microsoft account security

2. Select “Change Password.”

Microsoft account security

3. Upon inputting your current password, proceed to create a new one. Robust passwords typically consist of a minimum of 12 characters, incorporating a blend of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

4. Make sure that for every one of your online accounts, you generate a new password that you have never used before.

Microsoft account security

Microsoft provides the feature to prompt you automatically to update your password every 72 days. This ensures that your password remains consistently unique and challenging to decipher.

Unable to Log Into Your Account?

It is possible that someone changed the password if you are having trouble logging in with it. To regain access to your account, take the following actions:

  1. Use the instructions on the “When you can not sign in to your Microsoft account” page to reset your password.
  2. If you are unable to change your password, attempt logging back in and:
  3. On “Forgot my password,” click.
  4. Choose My Microsoft account appears to be being used by someone else.
  5. To get your account back, adhere to the on-screen directions.

We hope you were able to learn the reason behind the odd sign-in attempts you are getting in your emails and texts, as well as how to avoid them.

If you’re seeking a reputable software company known for its integrity and ethical business standards, consider FastSoftware. As a Microsoft Certified Partner and a BBB Accredited Business, we prioritize delivering a reliable and satisfying experience for our clients’ software needs. Count on us to support you throughout every stage, from pre-sales to post-sales assistance.

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